Cox South Hospital is growing again

January 06, 2011|by Mike Landis, KY3 News | mlandis@ky3.com

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Once again, construction fences surround a part of the Cox South hospital campus. Bulldozers and construction fences signal another big expansion is about to rise from the ground. Work has begun on the hospital’s new intensive care unit/critical care wing.

The hospital says it’s adding-on to keep up with the metro population boom, and baby boomers who are getting older and needing more medical care.

“Our critical care beds have reached a point where on many days we are pressured to find enough capacity,” said Dr. John Duff, senior vice-president for Hospital Services.

The $17 million project includes a two-story wing that’ll contain two dozen more adult critical care beds. That will bring the hospital’s total to 76. It's much-needed space to also serve patients coming from the hospital's brand-new trauma center.

CoxHealth expects it'll take less than one year to construct the new wing. A grand opening is set for next fall.

Cox is not the only hospital in town that’s continuing to expand. St. John’s confirms it’s working to expand its children’s medical services and neonatal intensive care unit. The hospital has released few details about the project but says work could begin in the coming months.